A punch line for all seasons

At JSB we like us some French music. Maybe not as much as we like French fries, certainly more than we like French baths. We're especially fond of the Serge Gainsbourgh, Brigitt Bardot duet "Bonnie and Clyde. " We like it because there is enough English in the song for us to figure out that, well, the song is about Bonnie and Clyde.

Gainsbourg was what the French call a provocateur. His biggest hit featured simulated sounds of a female orgasm, he recorded an incest themed duet with his daughter, and he capped off his long career by threatening to sex Whitney Houston in front of a live TV audience.

Of course the French are much more liberal about such things as incest and inter-racial, inter-generational public copulation than us hopelessly puritanical Americans. But a popular French "gansta" rapper has just learned there is, in fact, a limit to France's tolerance of all things sexual.

Monsier R, who may have named himself after a Procol Harum song,* is facing up to three years in prison for releasing a song with these lyrics;

France is a slut, don't forget to fuck her until you completely squeeze her; bro, you need to treat her like a whore, and I piss on Napolean and on General de Gaulle."

Ouch, if Napolean and de Gaulle didn't have enough problems already. But we are going to have to disagree with you on one thing, Monsieur.

A gal's not a slut just because she doesn't put up a fight.


* According to all music the song Monsiuer R. Monde is a bracing mid-tempo track that punctuates its guitar-heavy attack with some infectious cowbell accents from drummer B.J. Wilson. I downloaded it and yes, the cowbell is infectious. But it doesn't approach the organ in Whiter Shade of Pale -- which is the only sound I know of that makes me think of Kevin Kline and weep.